Originally Posted by Maximilionalpha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThFtGxfXNao

I have great regard for your ability to achieve such high altitudes with your Radian. I cannot hope to match that, partly because I would be unable to see the plane at those altitudes. Your video however are hard to watch because they are so jerky. I don't think there are two consecutive seconds where the image is stable. Is that because of turbulence? Have you tried any stabilization devices, such as the 3-Axis Flight Stabilizer from Hobby King or the Eagle Tree Guardian?

Originally Posted by kaptondave

I have great regard for your ability to achieve such high altitudes with your Radian. I cannot hope to match that, partly because I would be unable to see the plane at those altitudes. Your video however are hard to watch because they are so jerky. I don't think there are two consecutive seconds where the image is stable. Is that because of turbulence? Have you tried any stabilization devices, such as the 3-Axis Flight Stabilizer from Hobby King or the Eagle Tree Guardian?

To be honest with you, kapton, I don't know of any flight video, where there is no form of aided flight, where the video is at all, smooth. I don't use any form of flight stabilizing devices, yet, but have been eyeing the Orange 3-axis flight stabilizer at Hobby King. Not certain if I'll break down and buy it, though, because I tend to enjoy the art of natural un-aided, soaring. I do think that once I get back out into the country-side, where it's more opened at, that I can start back soaring farther out and not in such tight circles, as i do now.

Originally Posted by Maximilionalpha

I tend to enjoy the art of natural un-aided, soaring.

So do I, but natural unaided video - not so much.

It seems like there's not many people that have used there radian for Fpv. It's a great Fpv platform. I think I'll just buy another one and put tape on the leading edge of the wings and a lil back like the video showed, and maybe a carbon fiber spar. I don't get how people are putting huge batteries in them and still gliding. I added a gopro to my radian once when I was a Fpv noon and it sucked and deff couldn't glide. So how are people adding huge batteries and still gliding?

It seems like there's not many people that have used there radian for Fpv. It's a great Fpv platform. I think I'll just buy another one and put tape on the leading edge of the wings and a lil back like the video showed, and maybe a carbon fiber spar. I don't get how people are putting huge batteries in them and still gliding. I added a gopro to my radian once when I was a Fpv noon and it sucked and deff couldn't glide. So how are people adding huge batteries and still gliding?

Originally Posted by flohio117

It seems like there's not many people that have used there radian for Fpv. It's a great Fpv platform. I think I'll just buy another one and put tape on the leading edge of the wings and a lil back like the video showed, and maybe a carbon fiber spar. I don't get how people are putting huge batteries in them and still gliding. I added a gopro to my radian once when I was a Fpv noon and it sucked and deff couldn't glide. So how are people adding huge batteries and still gliding?

weight inside (think ballast) just helps the plane penetrate with everything else the same (ballast up on windy days). The GoPro adds significant drag hanging out in the wind

So if I added a 3300 3s battery can it still glide or will I need to be on the motor? And will oration be able to gain altitude withought using the motor?

Originally Posted by flohio117

So if I added a 3300 3s battery can it still glide or will I need to be on the motor? And will oration be able to gain altitude withought using the motor?

I see no reason why it won't continue to glide fine. It will fly faster and have more inertia when you crash but it should be fine. Your biggest issue with a battery that size is getting it back far enough so you can get the CG reasonable. Drag is the enemy and so you need to deal with that when you start sticking things like a GoPro up in the air flow. If your CG is too far off you will glide worse as well. Many of us have pushed the CG back further than the recommended position and it has improved the glide. I have gone back to about 84mm from the LE (stock is 70mm). If you fly the plane as a glider and not as a power plane you can get about 5 good climbs to a decent altitude on a 1300mah battery from my experience (and still have plenty left for an emergency go around if needed on landing). I regularly get 25 minute flights without even trying hard

Not sure what "oration" is

UPDATE!!! I've made a new cockpit canopy for my Radian! Got tired of the shiny black canopy and made a clear see-through canopy. Vid and stills coming up as soon as I edit and upload them!

Originally Posted by flohio117

So if I added a 3300 3s battery can it still glide or will I need to be on the motor? And will oration be able to gain altitude withought using the motor?

The 3300 3S battery will give you a longer motor run. If you mount it as near the CG as possible (still balancing there it will not change your glide ratio (how far forward the plane travels per foot of altitude. So a 20 to 1 glide ratio the plane would travel 20 feet for every foot of altitude lost. What it does do is change the sink rate, that is even though it still goes 20 feet forward for every foot lost in altitude it does not stay up as long conservation of energy laws say it will fly faster but flying faster generates more drag and down it comes. I doubt very seriously if we are even talking 1 minutes difference.

Originally Posted by tlar633

The 3300 3S battery will give you a longer motor run. If you mount it as near the CG as possible (still balancing there it will not change your glide ratio (how far forward the plane travels per foot of altitude. So a 20 to 1 glide ratio the plane would travel 20 feet for every foot of altitude lost. What it does do is change the sink rate, that is even though it still goes 20 feet forward for every foot lost in altitude it does not stay up as long conservation of energy laws say it will fly faster but flying faster generates more drag and down it comes. I doubt very seriously if we are even talking 1 minutes difference.

But there's the trick, there isn't a lot of room under the CG to add batter there unless you remount things like moving the Rx under the canopy and removing some foam in that area for the battery to get into

Here's a video of my homemade canopy.

Parkzone Radian's Homemade Clear Canopy (12 min 49 sec)

Yeah I going to hollow the hull out like crazy

Originally Posted by flohio117

Yeah I going to hollow the hull out like crazy

which will make it more fragile so keep that in mind

Good job, Max! Ya know....not everybody has the luxury of a nice shop with special tools and the like...especially when you are first starting out in this hobby. I love seeing people that have the creative ability to figure out how to make things work. I made a vacuum molding machine (see YT vids) and now make alll kinds of parts using that, but it's the same principle you have done on your kitchen table. BTW...good soda and water bottles are made from PETG and so you have a ready-curved, FREE source of plastic as well. Keep up the good work!